Auger attachment for snowplows or the like



June 1, 1943. L. P. MJGAYLORD 2,320,723

Filed April 2, 1941 Patented June 1, 1943 AUGER ATTACHMENT FOR SNOWPLOWS OR'THE LIKE Levi P. M. Gaylord, Lowville, N. Y.

Application April 2, 1941, Serial No. 386,539

3 Claims.

In the Operation of snow plows and like machines for removing mass material and in those machines where spiral conveyors or screws are employed for shifting the material to be removed to a point for the gathering thereof, considerable difliculty has heretofore been experienced when such material is in heavy solid masses in moving the machine into the material.

'bank of snow or other material to be removed.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the forward operative end of a snow plow embodying spiral conveyor blades with the auger attachment mounted upon one side thereof for cutting a path through a bank of snow or the like forwardly of the snow removal plow blades,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the forward disposition of the auger attachment with respect to the snow removal spiral plow blades,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view showing a part of the driving devices for the auger attachment,

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing the detachable mounting for the upper end of the auger shaft,

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 2, showing the lower end thrust mounting for the auger shaft in the skid or shoe of the snow plow, and

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 3 showing a removable antifriction bearing for a part of the driving mechanism for the auger.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings and particularly to Figure 1, there is fragmentarily illustrated the forward end of a snow plow embodying a frame structure comprising side walls In, a rear wall I I, and a top wall I2,

the frame structure being supported upon skid shoes I3 at the lower end of each side wall Ill. A pair of superposed shafts I4 are journaled at their ends in the side walls I0 and said shafts I4 carry spiral snow removal plow blades I5, the blades It being so feathered as to cause the snow to be moved from each end thereof toward the center of the frame structure in line with a central opening I6 in the rear wall I I for discharge rearwardly therethrough into a conveyance (not shown). The structure described is well known in the prior art and it is understood that power means is provided for the operation of the plow carrying shafts I4 and that a fan blower or the like may be associated with the discharge opening I5. Also, the snow gathering mechanism shown in Figure 1 is arranged forwardly of a tractor or other vehicle and is propelled thereby. The rear wall I I carries forwardly projecting V-shaped ribs I! laterally of the central opening I6 with therapices of the ribs I'I disposed between the upper and lower spiral plow blades I5. f

In the operation of a snow removing plow of such character and especially where a bank of snow or other mass material is of considerable proportions, unusual resistance is offered to the forward movement of the plow into such bank of material, and it has even been found that the side walls III of such a snow plow construction are ineffective for reducing the resistance ofiered the forward movement of the plow. To aid the plow in its forward movement through a heaw'bank of snow or other material, there is provided an auger attachment for the plow that may be engaged with either or both sides of the plow frame and is one which may be readily mounted thereon and detached therefrom, the attachment comprising a vertical screw or auger having a vertical shaft I8 carrying an auger blade I9, the lower end of the auger shaft I8 having a thrust bearing mounting on the skid shoe I3 preferably by the provision of a disk head 20 upon the lower 7 end of the auger shaft I8 that is removably seated in a cup-shaped hearing or collar 2| arising from the upper face of the skid shoe l3 as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 5. The upper end of the auger shaft I8 carries a disk 22 rigid therewith and spaced slightly below the upper terminal end of the same, said disk being journaled in a housing 23 carried by a bracket plate 24 that is removably attached as at 25 to the top wall I2 of the plow frame. A bevel gear 26 is fixed to the upper end of the auger shaft I8 above the bracket plate 24 as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 and provides an s I .i

end of the auger shaft l8, while the rear end of the shaft 21 carries a bevel gear 32 that meshes with a bevel gear 33 upon the upper end of the shaft 24 as shown in Figure 2 and which shaft is operatively engaged with the motive element for the propulsion of the snow plow.

As shown in Figure 1, the skid shoes l3 each carry an end thrust bearing 2| so that a vertical auger shaft I8 may be mounted at either side of the plow frame, one of said auger shafts being shown in Figure l'with'the auger shafts disposed forwardly of the spiral snow removal plow blades l as shown in Figure 2. In the operation of the snow plow with the auger attachment thereon, the auger cuts a vertical path in a snow bank or other mass of material which leaves only a substantially free central block of material of considerably less volume to be worked upon or engaged by the spiral plow blades l5 and this arrangement greatly reduces resistance to the forward movement of the snow plow as it reduces the pressure on the cuttingedges and easily separates the material to be removed from the entire mass and causes it to loosen and fall into the path of the removal angers, l5 which can then easily dispose of it. As before stated, the auger attachment is one which may be readily attached to and disengaged from the plow frame.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that minor changes may be made in the details of construction, such as will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim.

1. In combination with a snow plow or like machine comprising a frame adapted for attachment at its rear end to the front end of a tractor and having a central blower and horizontal spiral snow gathering plows forwardly thereof, means adapted to be arranged adjacent a side edge of the snow gathering plows and in advance thereof for cutting a path forwardly of the snow gathering plows, said means comprising a perpendicular auger, a skid shoe at each side of the frame and at the front ends thereof for the ground support of the front end of the frame and an end thrust bearing carried by said skid shoe in which the lower end of the auger is journaled.

2. In combination with a snow plow or like machine comprising a frame adapted for attachment at its rear end to the front end of a tractor and having a central blower and horizontally mounted spaced snow gathering plows forwardly thereof, means adapted'to be arranged adjacent a side edge of the snow gathering plows and in advance thereoffor cutting a path forwardly of the snow gathering plows, said means comprising a perpendicular auger, the machine including a skid shoe and an end thrust bearing carried by said skid shoe in which the lower end of the auger is journaled.

3. In a snow gathering machine of the character described, a, frame structure open at its front side, skid shoes at opposite sides thereof, a pair of superposed horizontal shafts journaled in the frame structure and each'carrying oppo} sitely threaded spiral snow gathering blades for directing the snow centrally of the plow, said skid shoes projecting forwardly of said frame structure and the spiral snow gathering blades and a perpendicular auger adapted for mounting upon the forward ends of said skid shoes for cutting "a 'path in a bank of snow forwardly and laterally of the spiral snow gathering blades.-

LEVI P. M. GAYLdhD. 

